Engine starting apparatus



July 25, 1944. L. c. DERMOND ,3 4,

' ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Origin/l1 Filed Aug. 4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 TO IGNITION IGNITION SWITCH 4 I4 A CUTOUT RELAY 434 INVENTOR LAWRENCE C. DERMOND ATTORNEY July 25, 1944. c. DERMOND 2,354,290

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS ori ixlal Filed Aug. 4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 17 v ATTORNEY Patented July '25, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Lawrence 0. Demand, Anderson, 1nd., alsignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich,

a corporation of Delaware Original application August 4, 1940, Serial No. 351,803, now Patent No. 2,326,125, dated August 10, 1943. Divided and this application July 6, 1942, Serial No. 449.857

14 Claims.

This invention relates to starting apparatus for internal combustion engines, more particularly to those of automotive vehicles, and especially to the automatic and semi-automatic types of starting apparatus in which the starter circuit is automatically closed by closing of the ignition switch, or is closed by operation of some one of the control instrumentalities of the vehicle such as the accelerator pedal, or clutch pedal, and is held open by the eifect of suction when the engine runs under its own power.

This application is a division of Serial No. 351,303, filed August 4, 1940, which has now been issued as Patent No. 2,326,125, August 10, 1943.

In starting apparatus of the kind above referred to, some difflculty has been encountered in providing a suitable suction controlled switch due to the difllculty of constructing a switch sufflciently sensitive to be operable by the manifold vacuum under all operating conditions when the engine is running under its own power to break the circuit and which yet will not be operable by the vacuum when the engine is being operated by the starting motor during the cranking period before such engine becomes self-operative. It is obvious that under certain operating conditions the vacuum effective on such a switch will become quite low during the opera-- tion of the engine on its own power and will approach, if not actually equal, the vacuum which is maintained in the manifold when the engine is being turned over by the starting motor before it actually becomes self-operative and it is this condition which brings about the dimculty referred to.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide in a starting apparatus of the character referred to, a control switch which cannot be opened by engine suction durin the cranking period, but will be maintained in its open position at all times and under all conditions when the engine is running under its own power, either when operating under load or when idling.

With this object in view, one feature of the present invention consists in the provision of a control switch havinga suction operated member which is operable in conjunction with a member operable manually and simultaneously with the carburetor throttle to control the opening and closing of the switch contacts, such contacts being maintained in open position when the engine is not running by the position of the manually operable device and being prevented from closing at all times when the engine is in starter circuit and th suction immediately be-- comes effective on the suction operated member as the engine is cranked, but the device is so constructed that such suction operated member cannot be moved to a position where the switch contacts would be open by an degree of suction which can possibly be produced during the cranking operation. In fact, in one form of the invention the manually operable member must be restored to its normal position by restoration of the'throttle to itsnormal, or idling, position, thus manually opening the circuit before the suction can be effective to so move the suction operated member to the position where it holds the circuit open.

In the form of the invention which is claimed herein, the device is so constructed that this manual operation to open the starter circuit is I not necessary, but means are provided to prevent any movement of the suction-operated member until the suction becomes far greater than any which can be produced during the cranking period.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly ing the parts in a still different position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional view partly in elevation, showing a modified form of the device in which a diaphragm is employed as the suction operated member.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a modified form of the device shownin Fig. 4 in which the starter circuit does not have to be broken by a manual operation.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal view on the line 6-6 or Fig.5.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, the starting motor which is indicated at 26 has a ground connection 22 and an armature shaft 24 on which is splined a sleeve 26 which is secured to one member of an overrunning clutch 28, the other member of which is integral with a driving pinion 36 adapted to be moved into engagement with the flywheel gear 32 of the engine in order to turn said gear and start the engine whenever the starting motor is operative. The sleeve 26 is moved to the right in Fig. 1 to effect engagement of the pinion 30 with the gear 32 and the circuit between the starting motor and the battery is concurrently closed to cause the startin motor to become operative.

To this end the sleeve 26 is provided with a grooved collar 34 which is slidable on the shaft 23 and said collar is engaged by pins 35 which project from a yoke formed on the lower end of a lever 36 suitably pivoted at 33 and connected at its upper end with the armature 40 of an electromagnet 4| by means of a lost motion connection comprising a pin 42 and slot 44 which is provided for the purpose of enabling the lever and the armature to have some motion relative to each other.

When the magnet is energized, the lever 36 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction, the collar 34 compressing a spring 46 which surrounds the sleeve 26 between the collar and the clutch device 23 moves the pinion into engagement with the flywheel gear in the usual manner, the construction of the driving mechanism between the starting motor and the flywheel gear being the same as ordinarily employed in manually operated starting devices of the overrunning clutch type. A spring 41 returns the lever 36 and the parts operated thereby to normal position when the above described magnet is de-energized.

The electromagnet is provided with two coils 48 and 56 having a diflerent number of turns for a purpose which is briefly described hereinafter, and the circuit connections with the magnet coils will also be briefly described later.

The starting motor 26 is connected by a wire 62 with a fixed contact 64 of a starting motor switch, while a second contact 56 is connected by a wire 58 with a battery indicated at 60 which is grounded at 62. A movable contact 64 is adapted to be moved into engagement with the two contacts 54 and 66 when the armature of the magnet is moved to the left in Fig. 1 to close the circuit of the starting motor.

The energization of the magnet is effected by the closing of the ignition switch and a second switch indicated in its entirety by the numeral 66, the construction of which is the principal feature of novelty of the present invention which will be described in detail later, the closing of these two switches eifecting closing of a magnetic switch which is in circuit with the coils of the above described magnet.

The ignition switch has a movable contact 66 connected by a wire 16 to a wire I2 extending from the generator to the wire 56, previously referred to. The contact 68 is a double contact, one branch of which engages a fixed contact 14 to which is connected a wire leading to the ignition system and a second fixed contact 16 which is connected by a wire 18 to a binding post 80 of the switch 66. The latter is provided with a second binding post 82 which is connected by a wire 64 which extends to a winding 66 of a relay which is grounded through the generator by means of a wire 66. Mechanism is provided to eflect electrical connection between the binding posts 66 and 32, this mechanism being described in detail later and when the contact between these blnding posts is thus effected, current flows from the battery through the ignition switch across the binding posts 66 and 32, through the coil 36 and to ground to energize said coil, the energization of which closes the switch to eflect the energization of the main magnet. The switch above referred to comprises a fixed contact 93 which is connected by a wire 92 to the wire 66 and thlE to the battery, while a movable contact 64, which cooperates with said fixed contact, is connected by a wire 66 to the coil 43 which is grounded through the connection 63 and a wire I66 connects the coil with the wire 66, said coil 66 being grounded through the starting motor, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be obvious from the above that when the ignition switch and the switch 66 are both closed, which results in the energization of the coil 36, that the contacts 66 and 64, which are normally open, will be closed and when this occurs, current will flow from the battery through the wires 68 and 62, contacts 66 and 64, and wire 36 to both coils of the main magnet, energizing the magnet and efl'ecting the shifting of the pinion and the closing of the main starter switch as previously described.

The magnet is so constructed that one of the coils may be shunted out when the main starter switch is closed, so that during the cranking period when the starting motor is rotating the engine crank shaft, the starter switch is held closed by the force of one o! the magnet coils only. This mechanismconstitutes no part whatever of the present invention and all or the mechanism previously described, with the exception of the construction and operating means of the switch which has been indicated generlcalh' by the reference numeral 66, is shown and described in the copending application of John B. Dyer, Serial No. 653,983, filed January 28, 1933. In view of this complete disclosure and the fact that the specific arrangement or the circuit and construction of the magnet and starter drive are not portions of the present invention, it is believed unnecessary to describe this device further, other than to state that the generator is indicated at I62 and is connected through the wire 63 with the relay coil 36, such wire connecting with the generator between the latter and the usual cut-out relay, so that when the generator is in operation, when the engine is running under its own power, the generator will build up a counter-voltage in the coil 36 and will eflect the opening of switch contacts 96 and 64 in the event that for any possible reason the suction operated switch, which will he described later. would .fail to act.

Coming now to the construction of the switch which has been previously designated generically as 66, it will be noted that the mechanism of this switch is positioned within housing H3, which is adapted to be mounted in any suitable way and adjacent to intake passage N2 of the carburetor, which is adapted to be connected to the engine intake manifold in the usual way. The housing is connected at its upper end to a suction conduit I I4, one end of which is designed to be connected to the intake manifold at any point between the carburetor throttle and the engine intake ports. The throttle of the carburetor is indicated at H6 and is secured to an operating shaft I II, which is iournalled for rotation in the carburetor housing. This shaft may be'so constructed as to extend into the switch housing 88, as indicated in the drawings, or may be connected to operate a separate shaft which extends into such housing, but in,

action, the throttle has only to move partly toits full open position, a matter of 20 or thereabouts, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The parts will remain in this position as the starting motor cranks the engine for starting purposes and the suction which is effective on the I24 of metal, which, of course, is separated from the operating shaft by the insulating material I20. A stationary contact piece I28 is adapted to engage the metal surface I24, as shown in the drawings. This contact piece is of angular form and at its lower end is secured by a rivet I28, or in any other suitable way, to a plate I30, which forms the lower end of the housing andis made of suitable insulating material. The binding post 82 is screwed into a metal bracket I32 also of angular form, and secured by the same rivet I28 to the piece of insulating material I30.

The other binding post 80 is screwed into a similarly shaped angular bracket I34, which is'secured by a rivet I38 to the plate of insulating material I30 and such rivet also secures to this plate of insulating material a flexible contact member I38, which has formed thereon a lug I40 adapted to be engaged by the projection I22, previously referred to, the normal position of the parts being such as shown in Fig. 1.

The suction conduit II 4, heretofore referred to. communicates with a cylinder I42 formed on the top of the housing and having slidable therein a piston I 44. At the bottom of this piston is a cylindrical portion I45 of the same size as the piston proper and separated therefrom by a groove or channel I48, into which is adapted to project, when the switch is closed, the bent-over end I50 of the flexible switch element I38. The normal lowest position of the piston is that shown in Fig. 1, and in such position it is adapted to rest upon a pin I52 which is secured in the housing.

The lower cylindrical portion I48 of the piston I44 is provided with one or more grooves I54 in which, under certain conditions, the bent-over end I50 of the contact member I38 is adapted to engage, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The operation of this switch mechanism is substantially as follows. When the engine is not running and the parts are in their normal position with the carburetor throttle in its substantially closed, or idle, position, as shown in Fig. 1, the switch is opened because the projecting lug of insulating material I22 engages the lug 0, as shown, and no current can pass through the switch. However, when the throttle is moved topiston I44 cannot lift the piston because the bentover portion I50 of the flexible contact member is engaged in the groove I48 at this time, thus holding the piston in its lowermost position; When the device is constructed as illustrated in the first three flgures of the drawings,even the suction which is effective on the piston after the engine begins to run is insufllcient to overcome the action of the part I50 and the piston is held in its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 3 until the throttle is manually restored to its normal idle position,

4 upon which operation the element I20 is reversely rotated so that the lug I22 again engages the lug I40 which will manually open the switch and also move the bent-over toe I back to the position shown in Fig. 1, so that the suction will then be eifective to move the piston upwardly. 01' course. this opening of the switch contacts will cause the starting motor to become inoperative, but the engine has been started and is running under its own power and as long as the throttle remains in its nearly closed, or idle position, the piston I44 will be held in its uppermost position for the reason that the vacuum effective on the piston is greater when running under idling conditions than at any other time.

It is well known that if the throttle is opened to accelerate the engine, a drop in the manifold vacuum occurs and since the opening movement of the throttle is accompanied by a movement of the lug I22, means must be provided to prevent the flexible contact member from taking the position shown in Fig. 3 when such opening movement of the throttle occurs. This is accomplished by means of the lower cylindrical portion I48 of the piston. As the piston drops, due to a fall in suction upon an opening movement of the throttle, the cylindrical portion of such piston I48 is brought to a position opposite the bent-over portion I50 of the flexible contact, so that it is engaged thereby as indicated in Fig. 2, and this portion of the piston is also provided with the groove I54 so that the element I 50 will enter such groove. When this takes place, a further downward movement of the piston is prevented, so that it cannot drop to a position where the large groove 48 is opposite the part I50, but remains held in the position where the toe I50 engages thegroove I54 as long as the engine continues to run, or until the throttle is restored to normal ward open position in a counterclockwise direction a of movement, the lug I22 is moved out of engagement with the lug I40 and the parts are permitted to assume the position shown in Fig. 3. In this position the lug I40 is permitted to move to the right and to engage the metal element I24, so that idling position, in'which event the piston would be raised and the toe I50 disengaged from the groove 154 by the engagement of lug I22 with lug I40. However, if this takes place and the throttle is again opened for acceleration, the operation above described would be repeated and the toe I50 would again engage the groove I54 to prevent any possible closing of the circuit thr ugh the switch.

The device shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings is the same as shown in Fig. 5 in its general characteristics, the only difference being the construction of the flexible contact member and the piston so that although one of these is a somewhat modifled form of the invention, reference may be had to both figures for such disclosure as is common to the two.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, it will be noted that a boa III is formed on the carburetor intake housing and a switch housing II2 is secured to such boss in any suitable way. A shaft II4, on one end of which the throttle III is mounted. is Journalled for rotation in the carburetor housing and at its other end carries a cam element III of suitable insulating material and having a lug I10 formed thereon similar to the 1118 I22, previously referred to. This element III is surrounded, except for the lug III, by a generally cylindrical metal sleeve I12 and is secured on the end of the throttle shaft in any suitable way, as by means of a nut I14. A flxed contact member I'II engages the surface I12 and corresponds to the contact I2I previously described, this contact being connected with a binding post III which is secured to the housing II2 in any suitable manner, and separated therefrom by pieces of insulating material I00. A flexible contact member II2 which corresponds to the element III is suitably secured to the housing I62 and insulated therefrom by a piece of insulating material II4, while electrically connected to the contact element II2 is a binding post III, which is also suitably secured to the housing and separated therefrom by a piece of insulating material III.

The only material difference between this form of the switch device and that previously described resides in the fact that the suction operated element is a diaphragm instead of a piston and to this end a diaphragm III is secured between a flange I92 formed on the housing I02 and a corresponding flange I94 formed on a cover plate III which is secured to the housing II2 in any suitable manner, as by means of machine screws III. The diaphragm is held in its lower position by a spring 200 received between itself and the cover plate and suction is communicated to the space above the diaphragm by means of a suction passage 202 formed in the boss and in the wall of the housing II2 and cover plate as shown in Fig. 4. Secured to the center of the diaphragm is a piston 204, such piston being supported by a rivet 200, which extends through the diaphragm and clamps together a washer 208 which is below the diaphragm, the diaphragm itself, and a cup-shaped element 2 I located above the diaphragm and which receives the lower end of the spring 200 above referred to, the elements 200 and 2I0 and the diaphragm being held in a rigid assembly by means of the rivet 206, which has at its lower end an enlarged head 2I2 which carries the piston 204, above referred to. The piston 204 is provided with a reduced portion at its upper end which is adapted to lie opposite the flexible contact member when the parts are in normal position in the same manner as does the groove I48 previously described, while the outer surface of the piston 204 is provided with a plurality of grooves 2 with which the bentover end of the flexible contact piece which corresponds to the bent-over portion I50 of contact piece III is adapted to engage in Just the same way as previously set forth to prevent the closing of the contacts of the switch when the engine is running and also to prevent the piston from ever assuming the position where the contacts can be closed during self-operation of th engine.

The operation of this piece of mechanism is exactly the same as that previously described. In its normal position, the flexible contact element is opposite the lug of insulating material which holds the switch open, but upon movement of the throttle toward open position, the contacts are allowed to close and when the engine commences to run, the suction which is communicated through the suction conduit to the diaphragm lifts the piston 204 to bring about the same results as have previously been described in connection with the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

In the slightly modifled form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, there is only one difference in construction and one difference in the result produced from what has previously been set forth. It will be noted upon examination of this figure that at the upper end of the piston, 204,

which is shown in Fig. 5, is a tapered instead of an abrupt shoulder, such shoulder being indicated at 220, and the upper end of the flexible contact member I82 instead of having a bent-over toe is curved in a manner to be substantially parallel to the surface 220 as indicated at 222. with this construction, when the engine starts to run with the parts in the position corresponding to Fig. 3, so that the flexible contact member II2 engages the piston, the surfaces 220 and 222 are in engagement. The effect of the suction during cranking is insuflicient to lift the piston because of the friction between the parts, but when the engine starts to run with the throttle in only a partially open position, the suction effective on the diaphragm is sumcient to pull the piston upwardly, overcoming the friction referred to and this action will break the circuit through the switch. As the piston is lifted, the surface 222 will contact with one of the grooves and will act as a spring detent holding the piston in its upper position and the piston in turn prevents the circuit from being made through the switch contacts. Thus, in this particular form of the device, the circuit is actually broken by the action of engine suction when that suction is suiflciently high, but so great a degree of suction is required to effect this result that it is only under certain operating conditions that such result is possible and it is never possible during cranking. However, with this type of device, the piston prevents any possible closing of the switch during the operation of the engine under its own power and the device is so constructed that only a relatively high degree of engine suction can cause the lifting of the piston and the breaking of the circuit.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engines having a current source, a'starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting said starting motor with the current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for operating said switch, a control member movable to two positions in one of which it prevents closing of the switch and in the other of which it permits said switch to be closed to cause operation of the starting motor, means operable by the engine when it becomes self-operative to move said control member to a position where it prevents closing of the switch, and means engaging said control member for preventing such movement of the control member while the engine is being operated by the starting motor and for preventing the retum of said control member to a position where it permits closing of the switch as long as the engine is self-operative, said 9,854,890 means for n aging the control member being ineiiective to prevent movement of the control member to a position where it prevents closing oitheswitchwhenevertheenginebeginstoopcrate under its own power.

2. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engineshaving a current source, a starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting said starting motor-with the current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for operating said switch, a control member movable to two positions in one oi which it prevents closing oi the switch and in the other of which it permits said switch to be closed to cause operation of the starting motor, means operable by the engine when it becomes self-operative to move said control member to a position where it prevents closing oi the switch, and a latch member for preventing movement of the control member while the engine is being operated by the starting motor and for preventing the return oi said control member to a position where it permits closure of the switch as long as the engine is sell-operative, said latch member being ineil'ective to prevent movement of. the control member when the engine begins to operate under its own power.

3. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engines having a current source, a starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting said starting motor with the current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for operating said switch, a control member movable to two positions in one oi which it prevents closing of the switch and in the other of which it permits said switch to be closed to cause operation 01' the starting motor, means operable by engine suction when the engine begins to run under its own power to move said control member to a position where it prevents closing of the switch, and a latch member for preventing such movement of the control member while the engine is being operated by the starting motor and for preventing return of the control member after it is moved by engine suction as long as the engine is self-operative, said latch member being ineflective to prevent movement of the control member by engine suction when the engine begins to run under its own power.

4. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engines having a current source, a starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting said starting motor with the current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for operating said switch, a suction operated piston for controlling operation of the switch normally in position to permit closing of said switch and movable to a position to prevent closing of said switch when the engine begins to run under its own power,

and a latch eng ing said piston andpreventing its movement while the engine is being operated by the starting motor, said latch being ineflective when the engine starts to operate under its own power.

5. In a starting apparatus ior internal combustion engines having a current source, a starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting said starting motor with the current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for operating said switch, a suction operated piston for controlling operation or the switch normally in position to permit closing is oi said switch and movable to a position to prevent closing oi said switch when the engine begins to run under its own power. and a latch engaging the piston to prevent its movement by suction while the engine is being operated by the starting motor the piston after it has been moved by suction to prevent the return of the piston to a position where it permits closing of the switch while the engine is self-operative, said latch being inefiective to hold the piston against movement by suction when the engine begins to operate under its own power.

6. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engines having a current source, a starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting said starting motor with the currentsource, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for operating said switch. a suction operated piston for controlling operation of the switch normally in position to permit closing of said switch when the engine begins to run under its own power, a latch engaging the piston to prevent its movement by suction while the enbustion engines having a current source, a starting motor operable by current Irom said source and a circuit tor connecting said starting motor with the current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, means ior operating said switch, a suction operated piston ior controlling operation 01' the switch normaliy in position to permit closing oi said switch and movable to a position to prevent closing OI said switch when the engine begins to run under its own power, a latch engaging the piston to prevent its movement by suction while the engine is being operated by the starting motor and aiso operable to engage the piston after it has been moved by suction to prevent the return or the piston to a position where it permits closing oi. the switch while the engine is self-operative, said latch being inefmotive to hold the piston against movement by suction when the engine begins to operate under its own power, and means operable by the switch operating means, when such means is moved to normal position to eilect opening of the switch, to disengage the latch from said piston to permit the piston to move to its normal position.

8. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engines having a current source, a starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting said starting motor with the current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for operating said switch, a suction operated piston controlling operation oi said switch, movable to a position to prevent closing of said switch when the engine begins to run under its own-power and provided with a shoulder, and a. latch engaging said shoulder to prevent movement of the piston by suction while the engine is being operated by the starting motor, said latch being ineil'ective to hold the piston and also operable to engage I against the force of the suction when the engine starts to run under its own power.

9. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engines having a current source, a starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting said starting motor with the current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for operating said switch, a suction operated piston controlling operation or said switch, movable to a position to prevent closing of said switch when the engine begins to run under its own power and provided with a shoulder and a latch engaging said shoulder to prevent movement of the piston when the suction is low and for engaging another portion of the piston to prevent the return or the piston to normal position after it has been moved by suction, said latch being ineffective to hold the piston against the force of suction when the engine begins to operate under its own power.

10. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engines having a current source, a start ing motor operable'by current from said source and a circuit for connecting said starting motor with the current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for operating said switch, a suction operated piston controlling operation of said switch, movable to a position to prevent closing of said switch when the engine begins to run under its own power and provided with a shoulder, and a resilient latch member engaging said shoulder 'with suflicient force to hold said piston against movement by suction when the engine is being operated by the starting motor but incapable oi exerting a sufllcient force to hold the piston against movement by suction when the engine starts to run under its own power.

11. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engines having a current source, a starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting said starting motor with the current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for operating said switch, a suction operated piston controlling operation of said switch, movable to a position by suction to prevent closing of the switch and provided with a shoulder and a groove on the surface, and a latch engaging said shoulder to hold the piston against movement at low suction but ineffective to hold said piston against movement when the engine starts to run under its own power, said latch being also operable to engage said groove when the piston has been moved by suction to retain the piston in the position to which it has been moved.

-12. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engines having a current source, a starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting the starting motor with said current source, a switch for controlling said circuit and provided with a plurality of contact members, a control member movable by engine suction to a position to prevent closing of the switch when the engine becomes self-operative, said control member being engageable by one of said switch contacts when the switch is closed to prevent movement of said control member when the engine is bein operated by the starting motor and said contact being ineflective to hold the control when the engine starts to run under its own power.

13. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engines having a current source, a starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting the starting motor with said current source, a switch for controlling said circuit and provided with a plurality of contact members, a control member movable by engine suction to a position to prevent closing of the switch when the engine becomes self-operative, said control member being engageable by one of said switch contacts when the switch is closed to prevent movement of said control member when the engine is being operated by the starting motor and said contact being ineffective to hold the control when the engine starts to run under its own power, and manually operable means to cause movement of the last named switch contact to a position where-it engages the control member and closes said switch.

14. In a starting apparatus for internal combustion engines having a current source, a starting motor operable by current from said source and a circuit for connecting the starting motor with said current source, a switch for controlling said circuit, a carburetor for supplying combustible mixture to the engine and a throttle valve for regulating the mixture flow, means operable manually in conjunction with the throttle valve to operate the switch, means operable by engine suction to prevent closing of the switch when the engine is self-operative and means other than the manually operable means for preventing operation of the suction operated means when the control switch is closed and the engine is operated by the startin motor, said means being ineffective when the engine begins to operate under its own power.

LAWRENCE C. DERMOND. 

